Supervisor: Keep Woodlawn zoning as is

At least one Concord Township supervisor doesn’t want to change the current zoning in the 325 acres of property owned by Woodlawn Trustees.

Elizabeth “Libby” Salvucci said at the end of a rather routine Board of Supervisors’ meeting on Sept. 3 that the current zoning should be kept.

She commented further after the meeting finished.

“We don’t have a plan in front of us but, based on what I’ve heard from everyone and their feelings on it, I’m inclined to leave the zoning as it is and see what happens,” Salvucci said.

She said she spoke to many people at the Open Space Music Fest last month and they all said they wanted the property zoning kept as is. Those comments, however, did not change her opinion.

“From the beginning I was always open to saying that I felt this way,” she said after the meeting, adding that most of the comments made at the festival centered around wishes that a consortium could buy the property.

“I wish there was something out there, some miracle that it would happen,” she said. “We just don’t know what’s available right now. But, by us not changing the zoning, hopefully it can happen.”

Salvucci was appointed supervisor in 2011 to replace Colleen Morone who was elected to Delaware County Council in the general election that year. She is running for a full term as supervisor this year and is challenged by Democrat Dan Foster.

According to Foster, “That’s great, but she’s a day late and a dollar short.”

He said coming out in favor of keeping the current zoning would have been stronger had Salvucci done so before Woodlawn withdrew its application. Foster called it a political move for the election.

The property in question is from the Delaware state line to Smithbridge Road and from Route 202 to the Concord Township border with Chadds Ford. Woodlawn wants to sell the property, but first wants it rezoned. It withdrew the application for rezoning in the spring because, Green said, there was too much misinformation regarding the plans. He said he would submit a new plan sometime this fall.

According to Woodlawn CEO Vernon Green, rezoning would allow greater residential density, but also guarantee more open space. Opponents disagree.

Woodlawn wants to sell the property so it can continue to provide affordable housing in Wilmington.

 

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.

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  1. singert

    Elizabeth,

    It’s best to review the plan before commenting on the issue. The best case senario is that the property be left alone as it stands today. However the property is private and the Owner has every right to sell and / or develope it as per current regulations.

    Woodlawn’s plan provide for residential use, a less intrusive use than all commerical as per current zoning. In addition Woodlawn’s plan provides for about 20% more open space than the current zoning would provide for.

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